beak wiping

[Owlet]

So, on another thread someone said that beak wiping was pretty much the same as plucking and I'm really concerned about that because Lincoln likes to rub his beak against his cage. He mostly only does it when he's excited so I've always just thought it was I'm being silly? I can try to get a video of it next time he does but does anyone have anymore information on this beak wiping?

 

[GaleriaGila]

I have never heard that this is anything bad. The Rb grooms/rubs his beak on the textured perches to keep it smooth... and sharp!
I guess if it's done to EXCESS it could be bad, but... as I said, I usually hear people say it's healthy beak-care!
Maybe if you want to show a recent close-up, we might have more to say?

 

[EllenD]

Totally different situations Owlet, totally...Did you read the OP's post in that thread? In that situation he has a baby Macaw locked inside a tiny little coffin of a cage where it can't even open it's wings for 23 hours a day, with only 1 toy, and this tiny cage is kept out on a balcony...In that situation the Macaw's "beak wiping" is due to it's shear boredom, loneliness, and because he is literally trapped inside what is basically a coffin for 23 hours every single day with nothing to do but sit and stare. Literally, not exaggerating...And that Macaw's beak is no doing the normal shedding or growing-out that beaks do, that bird is literally wiping his beak back and forth on his cage bars all day long, every day, to the point that he is tearing the outer surface/layer of his beak off, and it's literally hanging off...

Birds do often play with the bars of the cage, they chew them, they make noise with their beaks on the cage bars, etc. They wipe food off of their beaks onto the cage-bars, and sometimes when they are extremely happy or very excited, they purposely slide their beaks back and forth on the cage bars...this is not at all, in any way, the same as what that person's Macaw is doing...I don't think that poor Macaw could even pluck itself if it wanted to, as it's cage is quite literally too small for him to do it! So in it's case, it is constantly, all day long, every single day wiping it's beak on it's cage-bars as a nervous habit...I mean, judging from what it's already done to it's beak in the short amount of time the OP has had him, he must do it constantly, all day long...it's a very sad and frustrating post to read, I feel horribly for that poor Macaw...

But Lincoln is fine! He's just being a bird that is excited and expressing it!!!

 

[Owlet]

I just wasn't sure I don't want my boy to be bored or anything and it's not like he can directly tell me. Lincoln's almost allowed to go in and out of the cage as he wishes so I know space isn't entirely an issue but I know he's also not huge with playing with toys so I worry x.x

 

[Owlet]

I have never heard that this is anything bad. The Rb grooms/rubs his beak on the textured perches to keep it smooth... and sharp!
I guess if it's done to EXCESS it could be bad, but... as I said, I usually hear people say it's healthy beak-care!
Maybe if you want to show a recent close-up, we might have more to say?

that's another thing that worries me bc both sides of his beak has little bits that have flaked off. gimme a moment to get pics

 

[Owlet]

his beak and feather condition always worries me x.x

 

[bingbing]

My conure has imperfections similar in his beak. I think the bird is beautiful and appears healthy to me and my non pro eyes.

 

[EllenD]

Lincoln's beak looks perfectly healthy to me, not at all what I was talking about with that other OP's Macaw...if you go into that other thread you'll see the photos that the OP posted, the entire outer layer of that Macaw's beak is literally peeling-away/up, in a way that I can't accurately describe, but to just say that anyone would be able to tell that the bird is beak-wiping to excess...

It's just like Gail mentioned above, this behavior is perfectly normal and fine TO A POINT, just like them preening themselves is. All birds preen themselves every single day and it's normal and healthy. But when they develop a psychological or behavioral issue, usually boredom, loneliness, etc., then this causes the normal, healthy behavior to become excessive and out of control, and at that point it's called "plucking"...Same with the beak-wiping...

That all being said, just looking at Lincoln's beak, it looks perfectly normal and healthy. All bird's beaks shed and flake a bit, that's completely normal.

 

[Owlet]

Yeah the macaws beak is obviously much worse but I wasn't sure if it was a case similar to small scratch vs open wound. If that makes sense?

 

[ChristaNL]

Yup, it does!


You care a lot about your bird and don't want anyhting bad to happen- so it makes perfect sense to me.


Appie was in the habbit of zig-zagging/ keeping hold of one bar and move from left to right with a lot of force: it made a lot of noise and she actually developed a worn groove.
No surprise: she was stuck in a cage "large" enough to open only one wing at the time and it was one of the few ways she had of letting of steam.
Unfortuantely (after finding herself in a far far larger cage and a lot less frustrated): it also turned out to be her preferred way of asking for attention (and it worked initially because it really freaked me out! I did NOT want her to selfmutilate - but enabeling her was no anwser, so I reacted by walking away - she stopped doing it in a couple of weeks, relapsed when she was very exited, got the same respons ...and stopped doing it . At least ... untill she meets someone who will fall for that trick again )


It is like nailbiting: it does not matter if you just have short nails as an endresult or completely gnawed fingertips, bleeding from the quick ... it is still nailbiting.
And you don't want your bird to do that, not to have the risk of it escalating -> simple.


I asume Lincoln has been tested to rule out al the 'nasties' - so wear and tear are the only options left and they don't seem te be unusual.

 

[Owlet]

Yeah Lincoln has definitely had tests done and such and he actually has a check up this upcoming wednesday.

 

[wrench13]

Looks like natural wear and tear on a busy beak to me - nonprofessional observation.
Salty also beak wipes on his natural wood perch that has its bark still on. He does it to get food off
becasue he knows that "chop mouth" is not tolerated and gets cleaned with a wet paper towel. SO he is careful to beak wipe after he eats.

Certainly ask your CAV about it but I would not wory about Mr. Lincoln.